Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

Pull both bearings out of the head and take them down to your local bearing supply. They are standard sizes (the front and rear are different sizes) and should be in stock. Get nice Japanese bearings if they are available. The tubing can take a beating when the head is sloppy.
 
dburt520 said:
Quick question for you guys... I am trying to lower my tank ALK (somewhere around 7.5-8 would be ideal.) Using a controller for PH, and a Carbon Doser from aquariumplants.

My current Alk is 9.5, and I am running 60Ml/Min with my Masterflex, and a PH of 6.85-6.90. What should I do to lower my tank alk... raise the flow, and keep PH the same, or up the PH and lower the flow?

Thanks
Click to expand...

If your ALK is holding steady but you just want to lower it I would shut everything down (pump, co2 regulator and reactor recirc pump until ALK lowers to where you want it. That is what I usually do. If ALK is rising then I would raise the PH by increasing bubble rate and/or size, assuming you want to run at 60 ml/min. Decreasing the flow will cause the ph to decrease therefore increasing ALK as the dissolving of the media increases. Ph decreases because the water is is the tank longer and absorbs more co2 unless you reduce the bubble rate or bubble size.
 
I'd prefer to not run it at 60ml/min... tank/pump are in a common area, and other than my Masterflex my system is 100% silent.
 
dburt520 said:
I'd prefer to not run it at 60ml/min... tank/pump are in a common area, and other than my Masterflex my system is 100% silent.
Click to expand...
Set the ph to 6.5 and effluent to 30ml/min . See where that gets you. Test the effluent dkh, as long as you are below ~40dkh you can most likely find a combination of effluent speed and output dkh that meets your demands and spins the drive slower.
 
I run mine at 20 ml/min because my demand is low and keep ph at about 6.7.

Settings vary because every tank is different. But I think slower is better.
 
In the big picture I don't believe the actual effluent flow makes much different as long as it is consistent. Getting the tank stable is key, once you get more familiar with the system and how it performs you can make further adjustments.
 
Any mathematicians out there? It seems to me that if we know the tank alk usage per day we could compute the usage per minute. If we know the total tank water (in liters) amd the effluent ALK in PPM then the flow rate should be able to be computed. Or the eflfuent ALK for a given flow rate.
 
What i've always wondered is what settings are the most efficient use of Co2.
In other words, what ration of bubble rate vs effluent flow rate.
 
While a little beyond the scope of this thread you guys have the reactor setup that can be reliably driven to the edge and back... So carry on!
 
Well sonofa-bee. It wasn't the pump head after all! :lol:
NOW I can get it to make the noise without the head attached.
So replacing the bearing didn't do anything.

So... i think "brushes" were mentioned earlier? What do I do now?
 
Can you post a video?

Even if the noise wasn't the bearings replacing them was a good idea. The head will last longer.

To replace the brushes you remove the shell. You can order them from coleparmer or take them to a motor shop. Most ace hardware stores will also sell them.

You may not be able to get rid of the noise if the commutator is worn.
 
:lol:

When you take the outer shell off you will see them. Look like this.
ghu2.jpg


Note their orientation, this is important. They have springs so be ready to keep them from zinging across the room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

FOX-FACE fanboy….
Calcium reactor components
Replies
7
Views
320
FOX-FACE fanboy….
FOX-FACE fanboy….
Chris Craig
Which Peristaltic Pump??
Replies
1
Views
213
Salt water taffy
S
H
Alkalinity/Calcium Balance
Replies
1
Views
463
griss
griss
five.five-six
Calcium reactor pH problem
Replies
3
Views
496
ct_vol
ct_vol
griss
Talk to me about Hydros
2 3
Replies
42
Views
2K
wvned
wvned
Back
Top